Palace eyes last 2 years to lay foundations for growth, improved governance

 General
Jun 272014
 
Palace eyes last 2 years to lay foundations for growth, improved governance

Expect the Aquino administration to spend its last two years laying the foundations for “equitable” growth and a higher standard of governance, Malacañang said Saturday. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said on government-run dzRB radio this is part of the administration’s belief of inclusive growth for all. “We would like to make sure as we leave, as the President leaves after 2016, he has laid the foundations for an economy that would provide equitable growth for all and a system na tumaas ang antas ng appreciation sa governance,” he said. He said they want to instill in Filipinos the mentality of “not going back” to where they were before President Benigno Aquino III assumed office in 2010. June 30, Monday, marks the fourth anniversary of Aquino’s assumption of the presidency. His term ends June 30, 2016. Lacierda claimed the Aquino administration has “elevated” the level of governance such that people now expect a better government. “’Yan ang isang bagay na gusto ma-realize ng Pilipino, mas maganda ang antas ng ating pamamahala. Despite the many issues that surround us and we have to handle on a regular basis, the Filipinos can expect standards of governance have risen and they should not allow (those standards) to go down again,” he said. Meanwhile, Lacierda said that as far as selecting a standard bearer for the 2016 elections, “we will have to wait for process to proceed and take its course.” He said one factor in the search is “who will continue the kind of Read More …

Sex-for-flight charges pushed

 News
Jun 272014
 
Sex-for-flight charges pushed

By Christine O. AvendañoPhilipine Daily Inquirer 6:03 am | Saturday, June 28th, 2014 MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Justice has recommended the filing of criminal charges against a labor attaché and the driver of another labor attaché based in Saudi Arabia for their alleged involvement in the “sex-for-flight’’ scandal. The DOJ did not name the two men to be charged with “abuses against chastity and acts of lasciviousness” based on   the complaint of four female overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). It also did not identify the four women complainants. The labor attaché will be charged with two counts of abuses of chastity based on the complaint of one of the four female OFWs, a maid who sought the help of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (Polo) after she was raped by her employer. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO The DOJ said this was because the labor attaché had made an indecent proposal to the woman when the former asked if he could touch her private parts while they were on their way to the labor center on Feb. 5 last year. It also found merit in the claims of the woman that the labor attaché had made offensive telephone calls to her based on the fact that he had earlier made an indecent proposal to her and that this was in relation to her repatriation to the Philippines. The charge of abuses against chastity was recommended in the case of the labor attaché as it involves an offense where “public officer who shall solicit Read More …

Ramadan rush: Rich Arabs splurge before fasting

 News
Jun 272014
 
Ramadan rush: Rich Arabs splurge before fasting

PRAYER FOR PEACE Filipino Muslims bow down to Allah outside Mindanao’s first ever pink mosque at Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province, as they observe the start of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. Devotees of Islam are expected to abstain from food, drinks and other physical needs during daylight hours. The fast is one of the five pillars of Islam, which also include the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. JEOFFREY MAITEM/INQUIRER MINDANAO LONDON—Before the fast, let there be a shopping feast. From Harrods in Knightsbridge to the glittering diamond stores in Mayfair, London has long attracted big spenders. But every year around the holy month of Ramadan, which starts this weekend, a wave of spectacularly rich Middle Eastern shoppers arrives and takes retail therapy to a whole new level—complete with an entourage of bodyguards, chauffeurs and Gulf-registered Rolls-Royces and Ferraris flown in just for the occasion. Retailers call the boost in business the Ramadan Rush: A hugely lucrative and fast-growing market driven by wealthy Arabs who travel to Britain to escape the desert heat and indulge in buying luxury gifts before flying home for a month of fasting and increased religious observance. Another surge takes place during the Eid holiday, which marks the end of Ramadan. The spike in shoppers during the summer months has been so regular and noticeable on London’s streets that some have jokingly dubbed the phenomenon the “Harrods Hajj,” after the traditional Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. “London is the place in Europe Read More …

Aussie tourist charged with child trafficking

 News
Jun 272014
 
Aussie tourist charged with child trafficking

CHILDREN rescued by police look out a window of the Cordova police station, as officers file a complaint against an Australian tourist who allegedly preyed on them. TONEE DESPOJO/CEBU DAILY NEWS CEBU CITY—An Australian tourist is facing child abuse cases in Cebu province after he was arrested for bringing girls to his room at a beach resort and taking lewd photos of the minors. Peter James Robinson, 51, and a mechanical engineer, was charged with qualified trafficking, a violation of Republic Act No. 7610, or  the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, and RA 9775, or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009. Aside from Robinson, police also filed charges of qualified trafficking against a 17-year-old girl who purportedly acted as the pimp. Robinson was arrested on Tuesday at a resort in Cordova town, Cebu, where he brought the victims. Police rescued 11 girls and four boys whose ages range from 8 to 15. Two other minors escaped. Policemen recovered a laptop, USB and cell phone inside Robinson’s room. Three of the minors executed affidavits claiming that they were asked to do lewd poses while Robinson took photos of them at the resort. Robinson denied the allegations, saying he didn’t bring any minor to his room. He said he had been based in Manila for two years and had been to Cebu four times for vacation. “I come to Cebu to swim, drink, eat, etc. This is the first time I’ve been arrested. I’m confused. I feel Read More …

Vigan campaigns to win a spot in New & Wonder Cities of the World

 Entertainment
Jun 272014
 
Vigan campaigns to win a spot in New & Wonder Cities of the World

Vigan Los Angeles – Philippine officials, including Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Loren Legarda, joined the City officials of Vigan in calling on the public to vote for Vigan City as one of the New7Wonders Cities of the world. The heritage city of Vigan is the lone candidate from the Philippines vying for the spot in the New Seven Wonder Cities of the World List.  There are a total of 28 cities contending for the seven slots.  (Additional information regarding the mechanics for the online voting, as well as a brief profile of the countries nominated, panelist and the organization can be accessed through this link: www.7wonders.com/en/cities.) “Vigan reflects the Philippines rich culture and history.  As Filipinos proud of its own heritage, let us help make Vigan our very own world wonder.  This is an opportunity for us to showcase the beauty of our country, and motivate others to protect and preserve their cultural legacy so future generations will be able to appreciate and cherish it,” according to Vice President Binay. Senator Loren Legarda cited the city’s well-preserved, centuries-old structures that seemed to bring people back in time, yet its prosperity shows how the residents and the local government worked well and made good use of its autonomy. Vigan Calle Crisologo Legarda said Vigan is the only UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) world heritage city in the Philippines and was awarded the Best Practice for world heritage site management in November 2012. “The best practices that the people of Vigan have carried out to preserve Read More …

P554M for tourism promotions

 Economy
Jun 272014
 
P554M for tourism promotions

GOVERNMENT has released P554.4 million to the Tourism Promotions Board (TBP) for tourism marketing and promotional activities, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced yesterday. According to the DBM’s website, the funding will support the efforts of the TBP to highlight the country’s products, landmark destinations, and services to achieve tourism and investment targets of 10 million tourists by 2016. TBP is an attached agency of the Department of Tourism (DOT). “We’re already seeing more foreign tourists flocking to the country, and the local tourism industry is now at its most vibrant. This latest release supports our efforts to bring more visitors into the country. While broadening the government’s tourism campaign will certainly be a major component in our marketing efforts, the fact that the country has so much to offer to both our domestic and foreign tourists is a definite advantage,” said DBM Secretary Florencio Abad. “Further improving our growing tourism industry will help create more business opportunities and generate more jobs in tourism-oriented communities. This will, in turn, complement our other efforts in pursuing our bigger goals of economic expansion and inclusive growth,” he added. Of the P554.4-million fund release, DBM said, P429.4 million will be charged against the TBP Fund under the Special Account in the General Fund to cover the first-quarter operating requirements of the TPB. The remaining P125 million is part of the promotions board’s regular subsidy and will be used for its second-quarter funding needs. The Philippines welcomed 1,696,537 international visitors during the Read More …

Careful with your plastic money

 Economy
Jun 272014
 
Careful with your plastic money

There are 7.7 million credit card holders in the country today. Obviously, the credit card industry is doing well in the Philippines, undoubtedly still very far from the more developed countries like the United States where even $10.00 purchases are charged to cards, but the fact that there are fourteen credit card companies (most of them affiliated with existing banks in the country) now operating here to serve all 7.7 million card holders, the industry is hale and hearty.  Actually, it is more accurate to say that there are 7.7 million active credit cards being used here, but since most people usually own two, three or even four cards at the same time, the actual number of credit card holders in the country is estimated by the Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP) to be somewhere between 2.5 million to 4 million individuals. And why not indeed when some credit card promos are so enticing and varies from one company to the other that every month there are bargains to avail of from these credit cards. Delinquency is kept at a minimum now too, at only 5.2 percent, meaning about 95 percent of credit card holders pay their accounts on time, according to CCAP executive director Alex Ilagan. With the growth of any industry, the creative minds of devious minds are kept busy.  Credit card scams can be very ingenious, the perpetrators more inventive as security measures tighten up. I remember a couple of years back when my wife Read More …

7-Eleven sets P2-B plan for expansion

 Economy
Jun 272014
 
7-Eleven sets P2-B plan for expansion

MANILA, Philippines – With the country’s economic prospects showing relatively high rates for continued growth, Philippine Seven Corp.(PSC), the exclusive local licensee of convenience store chain 7-Eleven, ramps up its expansion targets by allocating a budget of P2 billion this year. According to PSC business development division manager Francis Medina, the budget allocation will cover the opening of 300 new outlets, renovation of existing stores, additional equipment and logistics, among others. Medina said that for the first quarter of the fiscal year, 38 franchise outlets have been opened in various locations, namely NCR, North and South Luzon, Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo.                  Seeking to drive significant growth in other key areas of the country, PSC is also bent on capturing bigger, if not solo, market share in other locations outside the metro, as the planned expansion is heavily concentrated in Visayas and Mindanao – specifically Davao and Cagayan de Oro in the next years.  “The possibilities for rapid expansion are excellent in these areas as they have potential markets. Mindanao is still under study, but if approved, the first outlet will open by 2015,” said Medina. “So far, the total number of franchise stores is at 730, and the target number of stores to be opened is always achieved every month. But even with these positive outcomes, we are never complacent in keeping our current leadership standing,” he added. Apart from leveled up store openings, PSC is also aggressively expanding 7-Eleven’s in-store marketing and product portfolio, one of which is Read More …

The Station

 Economy
Jun 272014
 
The Station

“Sir Francis, do you consider yourself successful?” “Sir Francis, how did you become successful?” These questions always come up especially when I speak to the younger audiences. And my response over the years has been consistent. “I have never considered myself successful – just thankful that God has been good to me so far. Every day, I just strive to be better and to do better today compared to yesterday because I have to carry the responsibility of passing what I know to my children as well as to my clients. The moment I consider myself successful is also the moment my decline starts. I’ll keep on striving.” Here is an old article written by Robert J. Hastings. The title is “The Station.” This piece is absolutely brimming with wisdom; may this material bless your heart as it did to mine. The Station Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision in which we see ourselves on a long journey that spans an entire continent. We’re traveling by train and, from the windows, we drink in the passing scenes of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at crossings, of cattle grazing in distant pastures, of smoke pouring from power plants, of row upon row of cotton and corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, or city skylines and village halls. But uppermost in our minds is our final destination — for at a certain hour and on a Read More …

 Older Entries  Newer Entries